Bless Jehovah for His Constant Mercy
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
7/12/2015 PM
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Text:
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Nehemiah 9:5b-37
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Psalters: |
317, 234, 110, 424 |
- United in sorrow.
- It was the seventh month (7:73; 8:2b,13a) and now the 24th day of that month and the church assembled again.
- As a body they together gathered, this time for fasting and with sackcloth and earth on themselves.
- They are told to “stand up and bless Jehovah your God …” (5b-7).
- What really unites these people? And what unites us with each other and with them?
- It is the fact that all these individual families had the same history, which history displays God’s mercy.
- Also as a body they separated themselves from all the strangers living among them.
- Their communal prayer.
- We must stop thinking about ourselves and instead bless and praise Jehovah our God forever.
- In true worship we must be confronted with God: enter into His presence; come before Him.
- And “blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all praise.”
- All the history of the true church in the Old Dispensation, which repeatedly shows God’s mercy (17b,19a,27b,28b,31)!
- Each historical event demonstrates the greatness of God’s goodness and mercy.
- God is just as merciful to each of us today, for He “keepest covenant and mercy” (32).
- The proclamation of and demonstration of God’s mercifulness has an effect. Behold Him!
- It is this God whom we are to bless and praise in sincere worship (5b).
- When faith sees God shines forth in this bright light, then faith sees the ugliness of pride (10,16,29).
- Their purpose was to confess their sins and those of their fathers and to worship Jehovah (3b).